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I　shall　be　able　to　guard　myself　right　well　from　Love；　who　wishes
to　be　my　master。　What　the　eye　sees　not　the　heart　does　not　lament。
If　I　do　not　see　him　there　will　be　no　pain。　He　does　not　entreat　or
seek　me：　if　he　had　loved　me　he　would　have　sought　me。　And　since　he
neither　loves　nor　esteems　me；　shall　I　love　him　if　he　loves　me
not？　If　his　beauty　draws　my　eyes；　and　my　eyes　obey　the　spell；
shall　I　for　that　say　I　love　him？　Nay；　for　that　would　be　a　lie。　By
drawing　my　eyes　he　has　done　me　no　wrong　of　which　I　can　complain；
and　I　can　bring　no　charge　at　all　against　him。　One　cannot　love
with　the　eyes。　And　what　wrong；　then；　have　my　eyes　done　to　me　if
they　gaze　on　what　I　will　to　look　at？　What　fault　and　wrong　do　they
commit？　Ought　I　to　blame　them？　Nay。　Whom；　then？　Myself；　who　have
them　in　my　keeping？　My　eye　looks　on　nought　unless　it　pleases　and
delights　my　heart。　My　heart　could　not　wish　for　aught　that　would
make　me　sorrowful。　It　is　my　heart's　will　that　makes　me　sorrow。
Sorrow？　Faith；　then；　am　I　mad？　since　through　my　heart　I　desire
that　which　makes　me　mad。　I　ought　；　indeed；　if　I　can　to　rid　myself
of　a　will　whence　grief　may　come　to　me。　If　I　can？　Fool；　what　have
I　said？　Then　were　I　weak　indeed　if　I　had　no　power　over　myself。
Does　Love　think　to　put　me　in　the　way　which　is　wont　to　mislead
other　folk？　Thus　may　he　lead　others；　but　I　am　not　his　at　all。
Never　shall　I　be　so；　never　was　I　so；　never　shall　I　desire　his
further　acquaintance。〃　Thus　she　disputes　with　herself；　one　hour
loves　and　another　hates。　She　is　in　such　doubt　that　she　does　not
know　which　side　to　take。　She　thinks　she　is　defending　herself
against　Love；　but　she　is　in　no　need　of　defence。　God！　Why　does　she
not　know　that　the　thoughts　of　Alexander；　on　his　side；　are
directed　towards　her？　Love　deals　out　to　them　impartially　such　a
portion　as　is　meet　for　each。　He　gives　to　them　many　a　reason　and
ground　that　the　one　should　love　and　desire　the　other。　This　love
would　have　been　loyal　and　right　if　the　one　had　known　what　was　the
will　of　the　other；　but　he　does　not　know　what　she　desires；　nor
she；　for　what　he　is　lamenting。　The　queen　watches　them　and　sees
the　one　and　the　other　often　lose　colour　and　grow　pale　and　sigh
and　shudder；　but　she　knows　not　why　they　do　it　unless　it　be　on
account　of　the　sea　on　which　they　are　sailing。　Perhaps；　indeed；
she　would　have　perceived　it　if　the　sea　had　not　misled　her；　but　it
is　the　sea　which　baffles　and　deceives　her　so　that　amid　the
sea…sickness　she　sees　not　the　heart…sickness。　For　they　are　at
sea；　and　heart…sickness　is　the　cause　of　their　plight；　and
heart…bitterness　is　the　cause　of　the　malady　that　grips　them；　but
of　these　three　the　queen　can　only　blame　the　sea；　for
heart…sickness　and　heart…bitterness　lay　the　blame　on　the
sea…sickness；　and　because　of　the　third　the　two　who　are　guilty　get
off　scot…free。　He　who　is　guiltless　of　fault　or　wrong　often　pays
dear　for　the　sin　of　another。　Thus　the　queen　violently　accuses　the
sea　and　blames　it；　but　wrongly　is　the　blame　laid　on　the　sea；　for
the　sea　has　done　therein　no　wrong。　Much　sorrow　has　Soredamors
borne　ere　the　ship　has　come　to　port。　The　king's　coming　is　noised
abroad；　for　the　Bretons　had　great　joy　thereof　and　served　him
right　willingly　as　their　lawful　lord。　I　seek　not　to　speak　more　at
length　of　King　Arthur　at　this　time：　rather　shall　ye　hear　me　tell
how　Love　torments　the　two　lovers　against　whom　he　has　taken　the
field。

Alexander　loves　and　desires　her　who　is　sighing　for　his　love；　but
he　knows　not；　and　will　not　know　aught　of　this　until　he　shall　have
suffered　many　an　ill　and　many　a　grief。　For　love　of　her　he　serves
the　queen　and　the　ladies　of　her　chamber；　but　he　does　not　dare　to
speak　to　or　address　her　who　is　most　in　his　mind。　If　she　had　dared
to　maintain　against　him　the　right　which　she　thinks　is　hers　in　the
matter；　willingly　would　he　have　told　him　of　it；　but　she　neither
dares　nor　ought　to　do　so。　And　the　fact　that　the　one　sees　the
other；　and　that　they　dare　not　speak　or　act；　turns　to　great
adversity　for　them；　and　love　grows　thereby　and　burns。　But　it　is
the　custom　of　all　lovers　that　they　willingly　feed　their　eyes　on
looks　if　they　can　do　no　better；　and　think　that　because　the　source
whence　their　love　buds　and　grows　delights　them　therefore　it　must
help　their　case；　whereas　it　injures　them：　just　as　the　man　who
approaches　and　comes　close　to　the　fire　burns　himself　more　than
the　man　who　draws　back　from　it。　Their　love　grows　and　increases
continually；　but　the　one　feels　shame　before　the　other；　and　each
conceals　and　hides　this　love　so　that　neither　flame　nor　smoke　is
seen　from　the　gleed　beneath　the　ashes。　But　the　heat　is　none　the
less　for　that；　rather　the　heat　lasts　longer　below　the　gleed　than
above　it。　Both　the　lovers　are　in　very　great　anguish；　for　in　order
that　their　complaint　may　not　be　known　or　perceived；　each　must
deceive　all　men　by　false　pretence；　but　in　the　night　great　is　the
plaint　which　each　makes　in　solitude。

First　will　I　tell　you　of　Alexander：　how　he　complains　and　laments。
Love　brings　before　his　mind　the　lady　for　whose　sake　he　feels　such
Sorrow；　for　she　has　robbed　him　of　his　heart；　and　will　not　let　him
rest　in　his　bed；　so　much　it　delights　him　to　recall　the　beauty　and
the　mien　of　her　as　to　whom　he　dare　not　hope　that　ever　joy　of　her
may　fall　to　his　lot。　〃I　may　hold　myself　a　fool；〃　quoth　he。　〃A
fool？　Truly　am　I　a　fool；　since　I　do　not　dare　to　say　what　I　think；
for　quickly　would　it　turn　to　my　bane。　I　have　set　my　thought　on
folly。　Then　is　it　not　better　for　me　to　meditate　in　silence　than
to　get　myself　dubbed　a　fool？　Never　shall　my　desire　be　known。　And
shall　I　hide　the　cause　of　my　grief；　and　not　dare　to　seek　help　or
succour　for　my　sorrows？　He　who　is　conscious　of　weakness　is　a　fool
if　he　does　not　seek　that　by　which　he　may　have　health　if　he　can
find　it　anywhere；　but　many　a　one　thinks　to　gain　his　own　advantage
and　to　win　what　he　desires；　who　pursues　that　whereof　he　sorrows
later。　And　why　should　he　go　to　seek　advice　when　he　does　not
expect　to　find　health？　That　were　a　vain　toil！　I　feel　my　own　ill
so　heavy　a　burden　that　never　shall　I　find　healing　for　it　by
medicine　or　by　potion　or　by　herb　or　by　root。　There　is　not　a
remedy　for　every　ill：　mine　is　so　rooted　that　it　cannot　be　cured。
Cannot？　Methinks　I　have　lied。　As　soon　as　I　first　felt　this　evil；
if　I　had　dared　to　reveal　and　to　tell　it；　I　could　have　spoken　to　a
leech；　who　could　have　helped　me　in　the　whole　matter；　but　it　is
very　grievous　for　me　to　speak　out。　Perhaps　they　would　not　deign
to　listen　and　would　refuse　to　accept　a　fee。　No　wonder　is　it　then
if　I　am　dismayed；　for　I　have　a　great　ill；　and　yet　I　do　not　know
what　ill　it　is　which　sways　me　nor　do　I　know　whence　comes　this
pain。　I　do　not　know？　Yes；　indeed；　I　think　I　know；　Love　makes　me
feel　this　evil。　How？　Does　Love；　then；　know　how　to　do　evil？　Is　he
not　kind　and　debonair？　I　thought　that　there　would　have　been
nought　in　Love　which　was　not　good；　but　I　have　found　him　very
malicious。　He　who　has　not　put　him　to　the　test　knows　not　with　what
games　Love　meddles。　He　is　a　fool　who　goes　to　meet　him；　for　always
he　wishes　to　burden　his　subjects。　Faith！　his　game　is　not　at　all　a
good　one。　It　is　ill　playing　with　him；　for　his　sport　will　cause　me
sorrow。　What　shall　I　do；　then？　Shall　I　draw　back　I　think　that
this　would　be　the　act　of　a　wise　man；　but　I　cannot　tell　how　to　set
about　it。　If　Love　chastises　and　threatens　in　order　to　teach　me
his　lesson；　ought　I　to　disdain　my　master？　He　who　despises　his
master　is　a　fool。　Needs　must　I　store　up　in　my　mind　Love's　lesson
for　soon　can　great　good　come　of　it。　But　he　buffets　me　greatly：
that　sets　me　in　alarm！　True；　neither　blow　nor　wound　is　visible
and　yet　dost　thou　complain？　Then　art　thou　not　wrong？　Nay；　indeed；
for　he　has　wounded　me　so　sore　that　he　has　winged　his　arrow　even
to　my　heart；　and　not　yet　has　he　drawn　it　out　again。　How　then　has
he　struck　his　dart　into　thy　body　when　no　wound　appears　without？
This　shalt　thou　tell　me；　I　would　fain　know　it。　In　what　member　has
he　struck　thee？　Through　the　eye。　Through　the　eye？　And　yet　he　has
not　put　out　thine　eye？　He　has　done　me　no　hurt　in　the　eye；　but　he
wounds　me　sorely　at　the　heart。　Now　speak　reason　to　me：　how　has
the　dart　passed　through　thine　eye　in　such　wise　that　the　eye　is
not　wounded　or　bruised　by　it？　If　the　dart　enter　through　the　midst
of　the　eye；　why　does　my　heart　suffer　pain　in　my　body？　Why　does
not　my　eye　also　feel　the　pain；　since　it　receives　the　first　blow？
That　can　I　well　explain。　The　eye　has　no　care　to　understand　aught
nor　can　it　do　anything　in　the　matter　in　any　way；　but　the　eye　is
the　mirror　to　the　heart；　and　through　this　mirror　passes　the　fire
by　which　the　heart　is　kindled；　yet　so　that　it　neither　wounds　nor
braises　it。　Then　is　not　the　heart　placed　in　the　body　like　the
lighted　candle　which　is　put　inside　the　lantern？　If　you　take　the
candle　out；　never　will　any　light　issue　thence；　but　as　long　as　the
candle　lasts　the　lantern　is　not　dark；　and　the　flame　which　shines
through　neither　harms　nor　injures　it。　Likewise　is　it　with　regard
to　a　window：　never　will　it　be　so　strong　and　so　whole　but　that　the
ray　of　the　sun　may　pass　through　it　without　hurting　it　in　any　way；
and　the　glass　will　never　be　so　clear　that　one　will　see　any　better
for　its　brightness　if　another　brightness　does　not　strike　upon　it。
Know　that　it　is　the　same　with　the　eyes　as　with　the　glass　and　the
lantern；　for　the　light　penetrates　into　the　eyes；　the　heart's
mirror；　and　the　heart　sees　the　object　outside　whatever　it　be；　and
sees　many　various　objects；　some　green；　others　dark　of　hue；　one
crimson；　the　other　blue；　and　it　blames　the　one　and　praises　the
other；　holds　the　one　cheap　and　the　other　precious；　but　many　an
object　shows　him　a　fair　face　in　the　mirror　when　he　looks　at　it；
which　will　betray　him　if　he　be　not　on　his　guard。　My　mirror　has
much　deceived　me；　for　in　it　MY　heart　has　seen　a　ray　by　which　I　am
struck；　which　has　taken　shelter　in　me；　and　because　of　this　my
heart　has　failed　me。　I　am　ill…treated　by　my　friend　who　deserts　me
for　my　enemy。　Well　can　I　accuse　my　mirror　of　treachery；　for　it
has　sinned　exceedingly　against　me。　I　thought　I　　had　three
friends：　my　heart　and　my　two　eyes　together；　but　methinks　they
hate　me。　Where　shall　I　find　any　more　a　friend　；　since　these　three
are　enemies　who　belong　to　me　yet　kill　me？